Published Papers

Volume 31 - Issue 4 (Award Issue)
Shortlisted Papers

A novel hexagon-shaped interconnector for protonic ceramic electrolysis cells for large-scale green hydrogen production

Zheng Li and Meng Ni
Pages: 1-10Published: 20 Dec 2024
DOI: 10.33430/V31N4THIE-2024-0011
Cite thisHide

Li Z and Ni M, A novel hexagon-shaped interconnector for protonic ceramic electrolysis cells for large-scale green hydrogen production, HKIE Transactions, Vol. 31, No. 4 (Award Issue), Article THIE-2024-0011, 2024, 10.33430/V31N4THIE-2024-0011

 Copy

Abstract:

Protonic ceramic electrolysis cells (PCECs) are the next generation of electrolysis technology for large-scale green hydrogen due to their lower power consumption but higher hydrogen production rate, compared with conventional alkaline electrolysis cells. The practical performance of PCEC stacks is still not satisfactory, and one key reason is the highly non-uniform distribution of H2O over large PCECs. To address the challenge of PCECs for practical application, a novel PCEC stack design with a hexagon-shaped interconnector is proposed and evaluated by using a comprehensive 3D numerical model. It is found that the novel interconnector can achieve higher uniformity indices for H2O and O2 by 11.7% and 46.2%, respectively. An overall performance index, integrating seven metrics, effectively identifies the hexagon-shaped interconnector with an 80 μm baffle thickness as the top performer. The methodology employed to derive this index proves to be a valuable tool for comprehensive performance evaluation, particularly in studies involving multiple metrics. This research lays a robust foundation for the optimisation of PCEC performance through an innovative interconnector design and advanced evaluation techniques.

Keywords:

Protonic ceramic electrolysis cell; interconnector design; numerical modelling; faradaic efficiency; overall performance index; hydrogen production

Reference List:

  1. Beale SB, Andersson M, Boigues-Muñoz C, Frandsen HL, Lin Z, McPhail SJ, Ni M, Sundén B, Weber A and Weber AZ (2021). Continuum scale modelling and complementary experimentation of solid oxide cells. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 85, pp. 100902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecs.2020.100902
  2. Błesznowski M, Sikora M, Kupecki J, Makowski Ł and Orciuch W (2022). Mathematical approaches to modelling the mass transfer process in solid oxide fuel cell anode. Energy, 239, pp. 121878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.121878
  3. Brokaw RS (1969). Predicting Transport Properties of Dilute Gases. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Process Design and Development, 8, pp. 240–253. https://doi.org/10.1021/i260030a015
  4. Chen D, He H, Zhang D, Wang H and Ni M (2013). Percolation Theory in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Composite Electrodes with a Mixed Electronic and Ionic Conductor. Energies, 6, pp. 1632–1656. https://doi.org/10.3390/en6031632
  5. Chen D, Lin Z, Zhu H and Kee RJ (2009). Percolation theory to predict effective properties of solid oxide fuel-cell composite electrodes. Journal of Power Sources, 191, pp. 240–252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.02.051
  6. Chen D, Zhang Q, Lu L, Periasamy V, Tade MO and Shao Z (2016). Multi scale and physics models for intermediate and low temperatures H+-solid oxide fuel cells with H+/e−/O2− mixed conducting properties: Part A, generalized percolation theory for LSCF-SDC-BZCY 3-component cathodes. Journal of Power Sources, 303, pp. 305–316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.10.090
  7. Chen Q, Wang Q, Zhang J and Yuan J (2011). Effect of bi-layer interconnector design on mass transfer performance in porous anode of solid oxide fuel cells. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 54, pp. 1994–2003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2011.01.003
  8. Chen Q, Zeng M, Zhang J and Wang Q (2010). Optimal design of bi-layer interconnector for SOFC based on CFD-Taguchi method. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 35, 4292–4300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2010.01.117
  9. Chen T, Jing Y, Anderson LO, Leonard K, Matsumoto H, Aluru N and Perry NH (2021). Toward Durable Protonic Ceramic Cells: Hydration-Induced Chemical Expansion Correlates with Symmetry in the Y-Doped BaZrO3–BaCeO3 Solid Solution. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 125, pp. 26216–26228. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c08334
  10. Costamagna P, Costa P and Antonucci V (1998). Micro-modelling of solid oxide fuel cell electrodes. Electrochimica Acta, 43, pp. 375–394. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-4686(97)00063-7
  11. Duan C, Kee R, Zhu H, Sullivan N, Zhu L, Bian L, Jennings D and O’Hayre R (2019). Highly efficient reversible protonic ceramic electrochemical cells for power generation and fuel production. Nature Energy, 4, pp. 230–240. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-019-0333-2
  12. Duan C, Tong J, Shang M, Nikodemski S, Sanders M, Ricote S, Almansoori A and O’Hayre R, (2015). Readily processed protonic ceramic fuel cells with high performance at low temperatures. Science, 349, pp. 1321–1326. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aab3987
  13. Euser B, Berger JR, Zhu H and Kee RJ (2016). Defect-Transport-Induced Stress in Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conducting (MIEC) Ceramic Membranes. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 163(3), pp.F264. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.1021603jes
  14. Fu Q, Li Z, Wei W, Liu F, Xu X and Liu Z (2021). Performance enhancement of planar solid oxide fuel cell using a novel interconnector design. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 46(41), pp. 21634–21656. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.04.001
  15. Guo M, He Q, Cheng C, Zhao D and Ni M (2022a). New interconnector designs for electrical performance enhancement of solid oxide fuel cells: A 3D modelling study. Journal of Power Sources, 533, 231373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2022.231373
  16. Guo M, Ru X, Yang L, Ni M and Lin Z (2022b). Effects of methane steam reforming on the mechanical stability of solid oxide fuel cell stack. Applied Energy, 322, pp. 119464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2022.119464
  17. Guo M, Zhao D, Xu Q, Li Z, Xu H and Ni M (2023). New interconnector design optimization to balance electrical and mechanical performance of solid oxide fuel cell stack. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 48, pp. 3107–3121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.10.147
  18. Hinata K, Sata N, Costa R and Iguchi F (2020). High Temperature Elastic Modulus of Proton Conducting Ceramics Y-Doped Ba(Zr,Ce)O3. ECS Meeting Abstracts, MA2020-02, pp. 2617–2617. https://doi.org/10.1149/MA2020-02402617mtgabs
  19. Jiang Y and Virkar AV (2003). Fuel Composition and Diluent Effect on Gas Transport and Performance of Anode-Supported SOFCs. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 150, A942. https://doi.org/10.1149/1.1579480
  20. Kong W, Han Z, Lu S, Gao X and Wang X (2020). A novel interconnector design of SOFC. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, The 7th International Conference on Energy, Engineering and Environmental Engineering, 45, pp. 20329–20338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.10.252
  21. Kong W, Li J, Liu S and Lin Z (2012). The influence of interconnect ribs on the performance of planar solid oxide fuel cell and formulae for optimal rib sizes. Journal of Power Sources, 204, pp. 106–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.01.041
  22. Li K, Araki T, Kawamura T, Ota A and Okuyama Y (2020). Numerical analysis of current efficiency distributions in a protonic ceramic fuel cell using Nernst-Planck-Poisson model. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 45, pp. 34139–34149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.09.143
  23. Li PW, Chen SP and Chyu MK (2005). To Achieve the Best Performance Through Optimization of Gas Delivery and Current Collection in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology, 3, pp. 188–194. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2174068
  24. Li Z, He Q, Wang C, Xu Q, Guo M, Bello IT and Ni M (2022a). Ethylene and power cogeneration from proton ceramic fuel cells (PCFC): A thermoelectrochemical modelling study. Journal of Power Sources, 536, pp. 231503. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2022.231503
  25. Li Z, He Q, Xia L, Xu Q, Cheng C, Wang J and Ni M (2022b). Effects of cathode thickness and microstructural properties on the performance of protonic ceramic fuel cell (PCFC): A 3D modelling study. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 47, pp. 4047–4061. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.11.022
  26. Liu S, Kong W and Lin Z (2009). Three-dimensional modeling of planar solid oxide fuel cells and the rib design optimization. Journal of Power Sources, 194, pp. 854–863. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.06.056
  27. Liu S, Song C and Lin Z (2008). The effects of the interconnect rib contact resistance on the performance of planar solid oxide fuel cell stack and the rib design optimization. Journal of Power Sources, 183, pp. 214–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2008.04.054
  28. Luo Y, Shi Y, Liao S, Chen C, Zhan Y, Au C-T and Jiang L (2019). Coupling ammonia catalytic decomposition and electrochemical oxidation for solid oxide fuel cells: A model based on elementary reaction kinetics. Journal of Power Sources, 423, pp. 125–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2019.03.064
  29. Medvedev D (2019). Trends in research and development of protonic ceramic electrolysis cells. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 44, pp. 26711–26740. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.08.130
  30. Peters C (2009). Grain-size Effects in Nanoscaled Electrolyte and Cathode Thin Films for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC). KIT Scientific Publishing.
  31. Russner N, Dierickx S, Weber A, Reimert R and Ivers-Tiffée E (2020). Multiphysical modelling of planar solid oxide fuel cell stack layers. Journal of Power Sources, 451, pp. 227552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2019.227552
  32. Tarutin A, Kasyanova A, Lyagaeva J, Vdovin G and Medvedev D (2020). Towards high-performance tubular-type protonic ceramic electrolysis cells with all-Ni-based functional electrodes. Journal of Energy Chemistry, 40, pp. 65–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jechem.2019.02.014
  33. Timurkutluk B, Timurkutluk C, Mat MD and Kaplan Y (2016). A review on cell/stack designs for high performance solid oxide fuel cells. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 56, pp. 1101–1121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.12.034
  34. Wang Y, Guan C, Li H, Zhao Y, Wang C and He W (2023). Flow field configuration design for a largescale hydrogen polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. Applied Energy, 351, pp. 121852. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.121852
  35. Wrubel JA, Gifford J, Ma Z, Ding H, Ding D and Zhu T (2021). Modeling the performance and faradaic efficiency of solid oxide electrolysis cells using doped barium zirconate perovskite electrolytes. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 46, pp. 11511–11522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.01.043
  36. Xu Q, Xia L, He Q, Guo Z and Ni M (2021). Thermoelectrochemical modelling of high temperature methanol-fuelled solid oxide fuel cells. Applied Energy, 291, pp. 116832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.116832
  37. Zeng Z, Qian Y, Zhang Y, Hao C, Dan D and Zhuge W (2020). A review of heat transfer and thermal management methods for temperature gradient reduction in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks. Applied Energy, 280, pp. 115899. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.115899
  38. Zhu H, Ricote S, Duan C, O’Hayre RP, Tsvetkov DS and Kee RJ (2018). Defect Incorporation and Transport within Dense BaZr0.8Y0.2O3−δ (BZY20) Proton-Conducting Membranes. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 165, pp. F581. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0161809jes
>> more<< less